1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to gaming systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for playing multiple, different parallel bingo games over a very broad physical area using single centralized draws.
2. The Prior Art
Classical prior art bingo games are completely manual, encompassing physical balls in a cage with a mechanical selection means or a “blower” type selection means. After rotating a cage containing the balls, or blowing the balls in an enclosure, a ball is blown into a separate holding area or mechanically rolled into a separate holding area; that ball is then picked up and read (“called”) by a ball caller. Each ball in the cage or enclosure is marked with a letter and number (i.e., “N 42”), where the letters are one of B, I, N, G, O, and the numbers are between 1 and 75.
Each player plays one or more BINGO cards. Each BINGO card has 5 rows and 5 columns. The columns are labeled from left to right with the letters “B,” “I,” “N,” “G,” “O” across the top of the card. With the exception of the center space which is considered a free space, the spaces in the card are printed with numerical values as follows: each space in the “B” column contains a non-duplicative number from 1-15; each space in the “I” column contains a non-duplicative number from 16-30; each space in the “N” column contains a non-duplicative number from 31-45; each space in the “G” column contains a non-duplicative number from 46-60; and, each space in the “O” column contains a non-duplicative number from 61-75. The balls discussed above are numbered in the same fashion (i.e., “N” balls are numbered from consecutively from N-31 to N-45).
Players, sitting in front of the ball caller, mark a square on their bingo cards in accordance with the called balls. Typically, players use a dauber (a larger colored ink marker), thus the action of a player marking their cards is called daubing. Players are responsible for recognizing when they have won one of several pre-designated winning patterns. One of those patterns will be called the winning pattern or BINGO pattern. The first player to get the overall winning pattern on one of their cards is the winner of that game, and the game ends. An example of a winning pattern might be 5 adjacent squares in a row or column. After the pattern is reached, any prizes or awards are given out (including those awarded or won by people who made other patterns that did not end the game, such as “four corners”). Player purchase new cards and a new game begins.
Bingo games have been automated in several ways over the years. One automation technique is to automate the ball draw and ball “call” (the ball caller is replaced by a large screen showing the balls as they are electronically drawn), while the cards and daubing remaining manual. Another is the use of a handheld device which enable players to buy bingo cards, have them be displayed on a screen, and electronically daub the squares corresponding to drawn balls. Finally, there are bingo game that are run entirely electronically, with a bank of machines in a casino or bingo hall connected to a common Floor Game Controller or Remote Game Controller. Players indicate which game they want to play (choices are typically made based on the amount bet), and when there are enough players the game begins. The balls are drawn electronically, and the drawn balls shown on each player's machine. The player typically pushes a button to electronically daub their cards as balls are drawn. The first player to daub (manually or automatically) the game-ending pattern wins, and a next game is ready to play.
The problem with existing bingo games, including manual, semi-manual, and existing electronic implementations, is that they do not enable a bingo game to be played across wide physical areas. This limits the number of players playing any one game and consequently limits the prize amounts. In addition, there is a limitation of playing a single bingo game from each set of drawn balls. There is a need to provide a significantly larger coverage for individual bingo games, enabling more players to participate and larger prize amounts to be awarded.